North Light Truss & Space Frame

NORTH LIGHT TRUSS
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT
• North light trusses allow maximum benefit to be gained from natural lighting by the
use of glazing on the steeper pitch which generally faces north or north-east to reduce
solar gain.
• They are traditionally used for short spans in industrial workshop-type buildings.
Glazing on
North/North East face
North
Light
TYPES OF NORTH LIGHT TRUSS
Single Bay Multi Bay

• Single Bay North Light Truss • Also called Saw Tooth or Butterfly
truss.
SINGLE BAY NORTH LIGHT TRUSS
MULTI BAY NORTH LIGHT TRUSS
TRUSS SYSTEM
• On the steeper sloping portion
of the truss, it is typical to have
a truss running perpendicular
to the plane of the North Light
truss, to provide large column-
free spaces.
• One of the oldest and
economical methods of
covering large areas is the
north light truss and lattice
girder system.
• This type of truss system is
generally used where the floor
spans exceed 15m.
• The whole of the south slope is
covered with profiled sheets
and the whole of the north
facing slope with glass or clear
or translucent plastic sheet.
WHY NORTH LIGHT TRUSSES?
• Rooflights in the slopes of

symmetrical pitch roofs which are
generally set in east and west facing
slopes may cause discomfort through
overheating in summers and disrupt
manufacturing activities by the glare
from sunlight. To avoid these
possibilities the north light roof is
used.
• The use of north lights to increase • Because of the steel pitch of the north
natural daylighting can reduce facing slope the space inside the roof
the operational carbon emissions of trusses of a north light roof is
buildings. considerably greater than that of
• Although north lights reduce the asymmetrical pitch roof of the same
requirement for artificial lighting and span.
can reduce the risk of overheating, • North light truss has a asymmetrical
by increasing the volume of the profile with a south facing slope at 17º or
building they can also increase the more to horizontal and the north facing
demand for space heating. slope at from 60º to vertical.
Case Study : University Of Alberta
Triffo Hall / Group2
Case Study : University Of Alberta Triffo Hall / Group2
Triffo Hall represents the rebirth of South Lab, one of the oldest buildings at the University of
Alberta, originally constructed in 1915. The historic two storey structure is composed of two
bays with a unique saw-tooth roof configuration, providing an abundance of natural light
through two north-facing clerestories.
Example : North Light Art and Design Centre / Mildred Construction
SPACE FRAMES
@Newcastle Interchange
Fundamental Concept
• A three-dimensional structures.
• The assembled linear elements are arranged to transfer the load.
• Take the form of a flat surface or curve surface.
• Designed with no intermediate columns to create large open area.
• Like the truss, a space frame is strong because of the inherent rigidity of the triangle.
Load Distribution
EVOLUTION HISTORY
• Space frames were independently developed
by Alexander Graham Bell around 1900 .
Bell's interest was primarily in using them to
make rigid frames for nautical and
Aeronautical engineering, with the
tetrahedral truss being one of his inventions.
However few of his designs were realized.
Graham Bell : Space Frame Design
• Buckminster Fuller in the 1950s developed

frames independently. Fuller's focus was
Architectural structures and his work had
greater influence.
Buckminster Fuller : Geodesic Dome
TYPES OF SPACE FRAMES
1. Classification by grid 3. Classification by arrangement

• Two way grid. of its elements
• Three way grid. • Single Layer Grid
• Four way grid. • Double Layer Grid (most common).
• Triple Layer Grid (for large span
buildings).
2. Classification by curvature
• Space plane flatcovers.
• Barrel Vaults.
• Spherical Domes.
• Free form spatial structures.
1. Classification by grid
• Two way grid.
• Three way grid.
• Four way grid.
• Space plane flatcovers.
@LIC Headquarters,
delhi / Charles Correa.
A flat double layered

grid.
• Barrel Vaults.
A Double-Layer Braced
Barrel Vault.
@Velachery Railway
station, MRTS India.
• Spherical Domes.
@ASM International materials park.

• Free form spatial structures
A Free-Form
Spatial
Structure.
3. Classification by arrangement
of its elements
• Single Layer Grid
Single layer Barrel vault bracing. 1.5 layer space frame concept.
of its elements
• Double Layer Grid (most common).
A flat double layered grid.

of its elements
• Triple Layer Grid (for large span
buildings).
A Flat Multi-Layer Grid.

SPACE FRAME COMPONENTS
Circular Tubes
Rectangular Tubes
• Mero : It is an abbreviation for Dr. Merigenhausen, a German,
inventor of the connector. With his invention in 1942, he
commercialized the space frames successfully due to factory
mass production of standard components and easy field
assembly. It can accept as many as 18 members.
METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
ADVANTAGES OF SPACE FRAMES:
• They are light, structurally efficient and use materials optimally. It can be designed
in such a way that the total weight comes between 15 to 20kg/m2
• It can be built up from simple, prefabricated units of standard size and shape.
Hence they can be mass-produced in the factory, can be easily and rapidly
assembled at site using semi-skilled labour.
• The small size components simplify the handling, transportation and erection.
• They are an elegant and economical means of covering large column free spaces.
• They allow great flexibility in designing layout and positioning of end supports.
• Services such as lighting, air conditioning etc., can be integrated with space
structures.
• The use of complicated and expensive temporary supports during erection are
eliminated.
• They posses great rigidity and stiffness for a given span/depth ratio and hence are
able to resist large concentrated and unsymmetrical loading. Local overloading can
be taken care by built-in reserve strength. They do not collapse locally.
• Offer the architect unrestricted freedom in locating supports and planning the
subdivision of the covered space.
…. THANKYOU
Ref
• https://www.scribd.com/presentation/367547854/North-Light-Truss
• https://www.slideshare.net/roopachikkalgi/steel-trusses
• https://www.slideshare.net/AnsherinaDelMundo/roof-trusses-27192104
• http://www.propertykwik.com/construction-roofs.php
• https://www.archdaily.com/111083/university-of-alberta-triffo-hall-group2
• https://www.slideshare.net/sajidashah14/space-frames-52905493
• https://www.masterbuilder.co.in/analysis-space-frame-structure/
• https://www.setareh.arch.vt.edu/safas/007_fdmtl_21_spatial_structure.html
• https://www.slideshare.net/iqbalnurfariq/space-frame-25172440?qid=f9b0c19b-9a48-497b-b71f-3457720bd694&v=&b=&
from_search=8
• http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.arch.20140401.01.html
• http://www.thecivilbuilders.com/2013/01/space-frames-structural-types.html
• https://www.slideshare.net/ogustians/space-framesmodular-construction-technology
• http://www.alcox.in/blog/alcox-space-frame-structure-systems/image036/
• http://www.alcox.in/blog/alcox-space-frame-structure-systems/
• https://nptel.ac.in/courses/105106113/4_space_frames/3_space_truss.pdf

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What are the advantages of using space frames?

How can space frames be designed and constructed?

NORTH LIGHT TRUSS

Single Bay Multi Bay

• Rooflights in the slopes of

• Buckminster Fuller in the 1950s developed

1. Classification by grid 3. Classification by arrangement

A flat double layered

@ASM International materials park.

A flat double layered grid.

A Flat Multi-Layer Grid.

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